


'cause i swear i'd burn this city down to show you the light

by ashtxns



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, artist!michael, it says college au and artist michael but really these two r so irrelevant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-20
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 23:17:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2485874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtxns/pseuds/ashtxns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Are you stalking me?” he asks and Calum splutters, cheeks going red. “What, no, I’m just out of toothpaste, I-“</p><p>Too late, he realizes that Michael is laughing and he stops talking, biting down on his lip. “Very funny,” he says, trying to sound serious, but his smile is betraying him. “I could ask you the same thing, you know.”</p><p>Michael shrugs, still smirking. “Whatever you say, stalker-boy.”</p><p>or, sometimes fate works in a funny way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	'cause i swear i'd burn this city down to show you the light

Michael stares at the ground. Blinks. Stares at his books strewn all over the place, a few loose papers showing random sketches lying near his portfolio. He distinctly notes a slight pain on his lower back from where he fell but brushes it off, instead focusing on the guy above him.

He’s cute, Michael muses. He’s tall, dark-skinned, tattooed arms. His hair is also dark and Michael notices a faint streak of blonde decorating his fringe.

Michael focuses on what he’s saying and he realizes that he’s apologizing, over and over again, for running into him, while quickly picking up the few books which had fallen out of his arms.

“It’s okay, I’m fine,” Michael says, stopping the guy mid-sentence. Michael goes to grab his portfolio but then the guy looks up and Michael gets to look at him, _really_ look at him. Whatever he wanted to say then gets caught in his throat because all he can do is stare and manage out a, “Fuck.”

The guy frowns and Michael’s brain is going into panic mode, _fuck fuck shit Michael what were you thinking-_

“You okay?” The guy is staring at him, concerned and Michael manages a smile.

“Yeah. Sorry about that,” he says, scratching the back of his neck.

The stranger smiles. “I’m the one who should be sorry. Texting while walking is my biggest flaw.”

Michael grins at that. “Nah, mate, I shouldn’t have been running.”

“Let’s just agree that we’re both at fault here,” the guy replies, also grinning. “Good that?”

“Good that.”

They continue gathering all their stuff until they’re both standing, facing each other, Michael’s hands full with his books, his bag slung over his shoulder. At last, the guy hands him his portfolio. “I saw one of your sketches,” he says, cheeks slightly pink. “It’s really good. You’re an artist?”

Michael nods, grinning. “Yep. Studying Art and Photography, second year.”

The guy’s face lights up at that. “I’m a second year, too. My name’s Calum, by the way.”

“Michael. What are you studying?”

“Event Management.”

Michael whistles lowly. “Impressive.”

Calum laughs, eyes crinkling by the corners. “It’s actually really boring.”

His phone rings right after he’s finished talking and he quickly looks at it, cursing under his breath. “Shit, I need to get going. Uhm, I’m really sorry again for bumping into you-“

Michael waves him off. “’S no problem. Was nice meeting you.”

Calum smiles. “You too.”

*

Calum groans. “No, Luke, you don’t understand, he was _really hot!”_

“If he was so hot then why didn’t you ask for a date?”

Calum rolls his eyes and leans against the shopping cart while Luke is scanning the shelves in front of them. “I wanted to, but-“

“You chickened out?”

“Hey,” Calum pulls a face. “That’s rude. I didn’t chicken out-“

“Calum,” Luke turns to him with an exasperated sigh. “You’ve been going on about this guy for _two days_ now. What are the chances you’ll see him again?”

Calum opens his mouth to reply but cuts himself off when he hears a _very familiar_ voice coming from the next aisle.

“Yeah, Ashton, I’ve got the vegemite and don’t you think you might be a little addicted?”

Michael turns the corner then and stops in his tracks when he sees Calum standing just a few feet down. “Uh, Ash, I gotta go,” he quickly says then hangs up the phone, pocketing it.

“Calum, hi,” he says, grinning and Calum feels his heartbeat fastening and he can see Luke looking between the both of them, realization crossing his face.

“Hey,” Calum rushes out, face heating up. “Michael. Hi. Uhm. What are you doing here?” He immediately wants to hit himself in the face after the words leave his mouth because _seriously._

Michael is looking at him funny. “Shopping?” he answers, pointing to the basket he’d placed down by his feet.

“Right,” Calum says lamely. “Me too. Uh, this is Luke,” he says, turning to the blonde boy next to him who was biting his lip, listening to their conversation with an amused expression. He leans forward, extending a hand. “Nice to meet you,” he smiles. “Luke. Calum’s roommate. And best friend.”

Michael shakes his hand, introducing himself, all while keeping an eye on Calum, grinning slightly. “Well, I better get home,” he says, picking his basket up. “My own best friend is sick and waiting for his food. See you,” he nods at them, keeping eye contact with Calum for a few seconds before turning in the other direction.

They both watch him go and when he’s out sight, Calum groans and Luke punches his arm. “Ouch,” Calum winces. “What was that for?”

“That was your chance, Cal,” Luke rolls his eyes. “The universe gave you a second chance and you messed it up. You won’t see him again.”

Calum scoffs and pushes the shopping cart forward, Luke following him. “The freaking universe can suck my dick,” he mutters and Luke snorts.

*

Calum might rethink his statement about the universe a few weeks prior.

Because, right now, he is staring at Michael sitting on the grass under a tree, sketchbook open in front of him, a concentrated look on his face. Calum stops dead in his tracks and just _watches_ him and he knows he looks creepy staring at a guy sitting a few feet in front of him but can’t bring himself to care because- because, _well,_ Michael looks peaceful drawing, the way he lets the pencil glide effortlessly over the paper, without a second thought, and Calum can’t help but watch in fascination.

He contemplates going over to him but at the same time he doesn’t want to disturb Michael because he’s pretty sure he’s never seen anyone this calm before.

He simply smiles and leaves.

*

“Okay, what the fuck.”

Calum’s eyes widen when he recognizes that voice and when he turns around, yep, there’s Michael standing in front of him, the hints of a grin on his face.

“Are you stalking me?” he asks and Calum splutters, cheeks going red. “What, no, I’m just out of toothpaste, I-“

Too late, he realizes that Michael is laughing and he stops talking, biting down on his lip. “Very funny,” he says, trying to sound serious, but his smile is betraying him. “I could ask you the same thing, you know.”

Michael shrugs, still smirking. “Whatever you say, stalker-boy.”

Calum shakes his head, still smiling. He nods to the box Michael’s holding. “Hair Dye?” he asks. “What colour?”

Michael holds it up for Calum to see. “Blue,” he grins. “But not like electric blue, I already had that, I’m going more for a pastel blue.”

“You like dyeing your hair, hm?” Calum asks, chuckling. “Because you’re the first guy I’ve met with bright red hair.”

Michael runs a hand through his hair, almost self-consciously, and shrugging. “You could say it’s a hobby. Or a series of bad mistakes, as my friend likes to call it.”

Calum laughs. “Both sounds good.”

Michael grins and they stay like for a couple of minutes, grinning at each other. “Uhm,” Michael clears his throat. “Do you mind if- if I ask for your number?” he rushes out in one breath and Calum has to smile at that and he finds himself shaking his head, heart beating fast in his chest.

“I don’t mind at all.”

*

“Shit.”

Michael stares at his desk, eyes scanning over his sketchbook and pencils, but _no scrap of paper with eleven digits written on it in sight._

“ _Shit,_ ” he curses again. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, FUCK!”

Michael starts rummaging through the things on his desk- first putting his sketchbook and portfolio on his desk chair, then continues searching for that slip of paper, shoving everything off the table. First his books, then an essay on Modern Art, then comes his pencils and his calendar plastered with little post-it notes which Ashton has forced him to do so he wouldn’t forget any assignments, a random sketch of the campus, another assignment- but no single piece of paper.

“Shit,” he says again.

He hears feet padding down the hall, stopping in his doorway, then an intake of breath.

“Jesus, Michael, what happened in here?”

He looks up to find Ashton staring at the mess on his floor, eyes wide.

“I lost Calum’s number,” he mumbles.

“What?” Ashton frowns. “Speak up, Mikey.”

Michael coughs. “I, uhm, I lost Calum’s number. You know, the guy I keep running into?”

Recognition flashes in Ashton’s eyes. “The guy with the really hot biceps?”

Michael rolls his eyes. “Yeah. And he gave me his number the last time we met. And now I lost it.”

“That’s..shit,” Ashton concludes.

Michael sighs. “It is. What am I supposed to do now, Ash? I said I’ll call him. And now I can’t do that anymore and he will think I’m just some asshole who never really liked him and just asked for his number to fuck with him.” He sits down on the edge of his bed and puts his head in his hands. “I’m a disgrace to humanity.”

“Jesus, Mike, now you’re exaggerating.”

Michael looks up to find Ashton leaning against the doorway, arms crossed.

“And what do you suggest I do now? Go to all the places he might be and hope for the best?”

“That’s exactly what you should do,” Ashton says. “In what places have you met?”

“Campus, the supermarket, the drugstore,” Michael answers and Ashton grins. “Perfect. He goes to our College, you know where he goes grocery shopping..It’s simple. Just go find him.”

Michael is staring at him, a shocked expression on his face. “That’s actually a really good plan,” he says after a few minutes of silence.

Ashton grins smugly. “I’m a genius.”

“ _Yes,_ you are,” Michael replies, getting up and quickly doing a survey of his room in search of his shoes and jacket. “You are wonderful, Ash, I owe you one, I’ll buy you pizza tonight at your favourite pizza place, I’ll do your laundry, I- _fuck,_ where are my shoes?!”

Ashton giggles. “No need for any of that. Your boots and leather jacket are in the living room.”

Michael shoots him a grateful look before dashing out of the door. “I love you, Ash!” he calls over his shoulder.

*

Day 1 of Michael’s plan is a fail.

It’s a Friday afternoon and the campus is empty, save for the poor students who have afternoon classes and Michael sincerely hopes Calum is one of them but he doesn’t see him the first hour. Neither the next hour. Three hours have passed before Michael decides to call it a night and he packs up his sketchbook and pencil before making his way back to his apartment.

*

Day 2 looks to be more promising.

He’s at the grocery store, just aimlessly wandering around, smiling sweetly at an old woman who glares at his hair colour when he spots Luke, the blonde friend of Calum, in the same aisle as him, scanning the shelves. He quickly checks the next aisle because what if Calum’s somewhere, this might be his chance-

But then he sees Luke steering the shopping cart in the direction of the check-out and Michael’s heart sinks in his chest when there’s still no sight of Calum, so he leaves the store, looking defeated.

Michael sometimes really hates the universe, he decides.

*

Day 3 is spent moping around his apartment until Ashton has enough and drags him out for dinner. Which doesn’t make it any better.

“You only tried for two days, Mikey,” Ashton says, stealing a ravioli off Michael’s untouched plate. “Eat,” he adds. “You look ill.”

Michael sighs and digs into his food unmotivated. “I give up, Ash,” he says. “I won’t see him again. I should stop thinking about him.”

Ashton frowns, his plate of pasta suddenly forgotten. “That’s not the Mike I know.”

Michael scoffs. “And who _is_ the Mike you know?”

“The Michael I know, the Michael I grew up with, he didn’t give up that easily. The Michael I know didn’t give up after all his teachers in High School told him he wouldn’t get into a good university with only art or photography as a major. The Michael I know ignored it when someone said that art was useless and worked his ass off to get into his dream university with the best art program in the country.” Ashton takes a deep breath. “The Michael I know would get up and find that guy he’s got a crush on and go on a goddamn date with him.”

Michael watches him, a small smile playing around his lips. “You’re the best, Ash.”

“I try,” the older boy shrugs, taking a sip of his water. “Listen, Mikey, sometimes fate is fucked up. The universe works in a funny way. So don’t give up.”

-

Michael contemplates running back into the restaurant just to hug Ashton and thank him ten thousand times over and over again because honestly _what the fuck._ He had gone outside for a quick smoke break when someone collided into his back and he had turned around, ready to tell the person to watch where they’re going but then he’d locked gazes with dark eyes, _all too familiar_ dark eyes and his breath gets caught in his throat when he realizes that Calum is staring at him, eyes wide.

They both speak at the same time.

“I’m so sorry-“

“You didn’t call.”

Michael closes his mouth whereas Calum’s mouth opens, forming a surprised o-shape. A slight blush is creeping onto his cheeks and he closes his mouth, awkwardly scratching his neck.

“You- you didn’t call me,” he repeats, avoiding his gaze. “God, I sound so ridiculous-“

“It’s all my fault, Calum,” Michael interrupts him and Calum looks up. “I lost the paper where you’ve written down your number and I know that’s a shit excuse but it’s the truth, my friend is inside, you can ask him and he’ll tell you that I tore half of my room apart to find your number-“

Calum stares at Michael’s mouth moving, his lips, and quickly makes up a decision in his head. He thinks _fuck it_ and leans forward, pressing his lips to Michael’s and the other boy freezes for a moment and Calum goes into panic mode, his brain is screaming at him and he goes to pull away but then Michael relaxes and he puts a hand on his waist, pulling him closer and Calum smiles into the kiss.

They break apart and both of their faces are flushed but they’re grinning, eyes shining in the street light.

“God, I wanted to do this since the first time we met,” Calum murmurs.

Michael smirks. “I’m glad you finally did it, though.”

Calum grins and leans in for another kiss.

(Michael makes a mental note to thank Ashton later. But for now he’s content with Calum pressed against his chest, their lips locked. Yeah, he thinks, the universe really works in a funny way.)


End file.
